Casting
by Lady Mari-chan
Summary: One Kid, One cat, One accident.


Casting

By Mari-Chan

August 2004

A Prince of Tennis Fan Fic. A nice piece of fluff for your reading pleasure.

Pairings: Nope

Warning: Pain Meds, Crutches, Piggy Back Rides

Disclaimer: I do not own Tennis no Ojiisama / Prince of Tennis. If I did I would be able to pay my bills.

Read On!

The door slowly opened and a figure pushing a wheelchair came into view, Followed by Ryuzaki-Sensei, who had the great pleasure of being in the room while the doctors worked on the patient. Various members of competing teams stood up along with the members of Seigaku as the nurse wheeled the chair in front of Tezuka.

"Well?"

"He needs to stay off it for at least the next week. We have him in a soft cast and an Unna boot to try and reduce the swelling."

She looked to the person in the chair.

"No practicing, no walking on it, and don't get it wet."

"How will I bathe?" Ryoma asked in a slightly groggy voice.

"In a tub, naked," Momo joked.

"Plastic bag over the cast," the nurse stated as Ryoma winced.

"Oh that's fun," Fuji announced with a half smile. "I remember when Yuuta broke his foot."

"And why did I break my foot, Fuji? Or have you erased that from your memory?"

Fuji looked to his brother and smiled. Yuuta quickly changed his expression, and sat back down.

The nurse left for a moment and then returned with a pair of crutches.

"Stand him up."

Tezuka and Momo helped the wheelchair bound Ryoma to his feet and steadied him as the nurse measured the right height and adjusted the tops. She handed them off and watched as he placed them under his arms and tried to walk. Ryoma almost toppled over on the first attempt, only to be caught by both Momo and Eiji.

"Nyah, Ochibi, be careful."

"Mada Mada Dane," Ryoma muttered as the proceedings went on.

"You're not helping, Echizen."

All the while, Inui was writing the events down. No one would believe it otherwise. Oh how he wished he had his camera. The sight of the event replayed in his mind. Ryoma running toward the net in an attempt to return a ball, Karupin jumping out of the racket bag, then the surreal slow-motion of the climatic conclusion. One cat, plus one bright yellow tennis ball, that one cat mistook for his dog tail toy, that a first year was trying to return and all that equaled......One first year tennis player trying to stop in mid step to avoid trampling his cat, as the yellow ball got caught under his shoe and toppled the boy head over heels over cat to land wrong and end up tied up in one tennis court net that broke free from the sheer force of body mass colliding against it. Throw into the mix one foot slipping out from under said boy to land at a bad angle and rip a tendon.

He was brought back to reality by said boy's voice.

"Hey Inui-Sempei. Stop replaying it in your mind." Ryoma looked around. "Where is Karupin? Is he ok?"

"Kaidoh has him outside," Taka said.

Ryoma smiled at that. Everyone knew that Kaidoh liked Karupin, although Kaidoh would never admit it to anyone.

Tezuka brought them all back to the subject at hand.

"Time to go home."

The Seigaku team's Sensei looked to Tezuka.

"I think you can handle it from here. I have to go back to the school."

Tezuka nodded. "I'm sure we can."

Momo and Eiji stepped forward at the same time and spoke in unison that made Ryoma stop in his tracks.

"Want me to carry you?"

Momo looked to Eiji.

"I'm his Sempei, I'll carry him."

"You will not! I will get Ochibi home safely."

"No, I will."

At his point Fuji had stepped forward and offered his back to Ryoma.

Ryoma offered his crutches to Oishi, as Oishi steadied him with a hand.

"Up?" Fuji said as he pulled Ryoma onto his back, straightened himself up and wrapped his arms carefully around Ryoma's legs. He walked by a still arguing Momo and Eiji. Both stopped yelling when they realized Fuji had the honors.

"Fuji, no fair," Eiji yelled running after them. Momo exhaled and walked out with Oishi.

Tezuka looked to his Sensei once again. "Maybe not."

Ryuzaki just smiled and watch them walk out.

The Seigaku regular members bid farewell to the other teams, and Ryoma found his entire team walking him home. Momo had rescued Karupin from Kaidoh and had him snuggled in his jacket. Eiji and Oishi walked with the crutches, and followed behind slightly. Tezuka was even with Fuji who was not even breathing hard from carrying a thirteen year old on his back. A thirteen year old that was almost sleeping with his head on Fuji's shoulder

"I'm fine, Tezuka; he's light. Really! We're almost there anyway."

Ryoma woke enough to feel relief that he was home and embarrassment as they carried him up to the front door and rang the bell.

Ryoma prayed that his father would not open the door. Anything but dad. The door opened and Nanjiroh stood there. His eyelids opening wide as he took in the scene before him.

"Mmm......mwahahahahahaha!!!!!! What happened?"

"Dad," Ryoma growled? "Cut it out."

The members of Seigaku exchanged looks as Ryoma and his father had a stand off so to speak. Only the arrival of Nanako stopped the standoff. She saw Fuji carrying Ryoma, and practically pushed Nanjiroh out of the way, barely missing the wall.

"Uncle, move."

Nanako motioned for Fuji to come in and then led him up the stairs to Ryoma's room. Fuji deposited Ryoma on his bed. Ryoma flopped over onto his side resting his head on his pillow. Momo followed with Karupin in one arm and the crutches in the other. He placed the cat on the bed next to Ryoma and the crutches on the floor.

"Feel better." Momo spoke quietly as he followed after Fuji who was leaving the room.

"Momo-Sempei?" Ryoma spoke quietly from his place on the pillow.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you, and Fuji-Sempei."

Momo smiled "Your welcome, and I will," and closed the door.

Ryoma didn't hear the door close, the pain meds going to work. Ryoma was asleep before his head sank into the pillow.

Karupin walked the length of the bed and snuggled against his owner. Ryoma shifted and Karupin snuggled closer to the sleeping boy.

"Mada...Mada.... da.... ne."

Momo pulled his ear away from the door and walked back to the others. Nanako had made tea for all of the members and was busy thanking them for bringing Ryoma home safely. Shortly after the Seigaku regulars bid their hosts farewell and made their way to their separate houses.

Up in the darkened bedroom, Ryoma turned in his sleep. He exhaled. Karupin exhaled. Downstairs, Nanjiroh was still laughing. Nanako looked at her uncle, shook her head, and left the room.

Owari

My first PoT fic. Mwahahahahahaha. Based on the events of my life on the day of August 2nd. Not the laughing father, but the torn tendon / ligament in my foot.


End file.
